Project description by Colectivo C733
Bacalar Lagoon is the world's largest freshwater bacterial reef and a site of invaluable evolutionary treasure with living stromatolites. However, the area is also home to the last remaining mangrove on the shores of Bacalar, which is exposed to urban sprawl and other threats. To minimize the impact of human activity, the project's main strategy was to reduce the requested program, act with precision, and tread lightly on the site's rich flora and fauna.
The centerpiece of the project is an 800-meter long pier, a public and open pathway with varying heights to avoid disturbing the mangroves while providing a platform for visitors to glide over the lagoon. The solid parts of the pier house facilities such as a research laboratory and services area, while the shade of tall trees covers an open plain. The project also includes an efficient structural system built with certified local wood, finding the right balance to act as a column, beam, and foundation at the same time.
The landscape strategy is designed to mitigate water pollution through natural filters, depressions, rain gardens, and the rehabilitation of degraded mangroves. The project reduces the amount of built space, reinforcing the strategy and the site's natural systems. Additionally, the project features a museum exhibit in the form of a timeline of the unique biodiversity of the area, recorded on the wood, inviting visitors to become more aware of their environment and to conserve the site.
Bacalar Ecopark by Colectivo C733. Photograph by Rafael Gamo.
Finally, scale museography was incorporated into the tour, like a 10,000-year timeline, engraving the history of unique biodiversity in the wood. The visitor is invited to become aware of and conserve the place, as well as the social management of a public and free space for the residents of Bacalar.
